With the Char Dham Yatra witnessing a surge in pilgrim footfall, the Uttarakhand government has decided to extend the ban on “VIP Darshan” until May 31 this year. In a letter to all Chief Secretaries of the states, Uttarakhand Chief Secretary Radha Raturi said, “I would like to inform that this year, there is a continuous surge in the number of pilgrims visiting the Holy Char Dham in Uttarakhand. For better management, we have decided not to have any “VIP Darshan” till May 31, 2024.
“Char Dham Yatra is being conducted smoothly. Arrangements have been made to ensure systematic darshan to the pilgrims, but at present it has been noticed that videography/reels are being made for social media in the temple premises, due to which crowd gathers at one place, and devotees are facing inconvenience. Therefore, keeping in mind the convenience of the devotees, making videography/reels for social media within the radius of 50 metres of the temple premises in Char Dham is completely banned,” the letter further stated.
Earlier, Chief Secretary Raturi had announced a ban on the use of mobile phones within 200 meters of Char Dham shrines. She warned of legal action against individuals found making reels or spreading misinformation about the yatra.
“Making reels with misleading information is a crime. If you are going for a yatra with faith, making reels near temples is wrong,” she said.
Uttarakhand Chief Secretary said that in order to streamline the process of Darshan at the Dhams, state government has started a process of registration for Chardham Yatra.
“Registration is mandatory and devotees must register for the Chardham Yatra 2024 on registrationandtouristcare.uk.gov.in. Darshan at the Dhams shall be allowed only to the devotees on the date for which they have registered,” the letter read.
The elderly and those with pre-existing medical conditions should get themselves medically examined before commencing their Yatra and follow the guidelines issued by Deptt of Medical Health and Family Welfare, Govt. of the Uttarrakhand which are available on https://health.uk.gov.in/pages/display/140-char-dham-yatra-health-advisory Govt. of Uttarakhand is committed to provide a hassle-free Yatra experience to the devotees and seek your support in disseminating the above information to the public at large in your state/UT, the letter read.
Over 26 lakh devotees from across the country and abroad have registered for the ongoing Char Dham Yatra, which commenced on May 10. The pilgrimage holds immense spiritual significance in Hinduism, spanning from April-May to October-November. It is traditionally believed that the journey should be completed in a clockwise direction, starting from Yamunotri, then Gangotri, Kedarnath, and concluding at Badrinath. Pilgrims can opt for road or helicopter services to complete the Char Dham Yatra, which encompasses the sacred sites of Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath, and Badrinath.
Source: ANI
![Pinterest](https://pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=https://traveltradejournal.com/chardham-yatra-uttarakhand-govt-extends-ban-on-vip-darshan-till-may-31-prohibits-video-shooting/&media=https://traveltradejournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Kedarnath.jpg&description=With the Char Dham Yatra witnessing a surge in pilgrim footfall, the Uttarakhand government has decided to extend the ban on "VIP Darshan" until May 31 this year. In a letter to all Chief Secretaries of the states, Uttarakhand Chief Secretary Radha Raturi said, "I would like to inform that this year, there is a continuous surge in the number of pilgrims visiting the Holy Char Dham in Uttarakhand. For better management, we have decided not to have any "VIP Darshan" till May 31, 2024.){kind=link}